Originality is a term that is used often in the design world, whether in a request from a client or a promise of a designer. It is a desired quality for many obvious reasons. I mean, no one wants to be a copy cat, or at least I would hope so, right!?
One thing that can be noted about originality is how seemingly difficult it can be to find. That is because of the challenges, hard work, research, and skill it takes to develop something decently original. Some designers just don’t have the passion or motivation to go the extra mile in creating original work, OR, are simply satisfied with producing unoriginal rip off work. We see it everywhere. There are HUNDREDS of cheap logo design companies springing up online, you find more and more companies ripping off logo designs created by others. Plagiarism is a real problem. It is sad, and what is even more discerning is that clients with valuable business plans are settling for this poor attempt at design to represent their hard work and ideas. It’s a classic example of you get what you pay for.
These cheap logo design companies are treating logo design like a fast food drive through. Quick, cheap, and unoriginal. To a client that doesn’t know any better it might taste good and be at the right price now, but it’s not healthy in the long run because it is lacking those key ingredients that make up quality and originality. (careful research, consideration, and skill.)
Then there is always the debatable subject of how possible is 100% originality. Originality does bring up a lot of questions especially when you think of the thousands of years of art and design that has been created throughout the world. It makes it seem like anything you design is bound to have some kind of similarity to something else. This is another example of the importance in careful research but are some similarities all that bad? I say no of course not as long as you don’t cross a line and really I am only scratching the surface of this subject. Yes you will have occasions where work is evolved, or inspired by something else. Some of the best work I have seen has been inspired from something else but has it’s own original twist and is strong and beautiful. There is nothing wrong with this if it is approached well. Ask any great artist/designer and they will quickly tell you who they are inspired by, but when you look at their work you will see they are not ripping off anyone, they just allowed the artist that inspire them open their creative minds to create new and original work. There is a line and when it has crossed over to rip off, it is very apparent.
If you are looking for a logo for your business my advice to you is to strive for original. Don’t settle for a cookie cutter logo that is not considerate to anything about your business, and most certainly don’g allow rip offs. As I stated in a previous blog Logo design 101, your logo is your first impression, it needs to represent, and stand above. Don’t let this foundational starting point of your branding be quick, cheap and easy like fast food drive through. Originality is not just a side order so find a designer who will go the extra mile. There is so much involved that holds true value in quality logo design.
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Thank you for addressing this subject. It would be easy to blame “the economy” since clients are not willing to pay what a logo is worth but I’ve seen this trend go on for years. I have been designing logos and severely undercharging for them so as to get the work but feel that the time and dedication that goes into it is seldom (if ever) appreciated.
well put. I am working with a new client on a logo they started in CrowdSpring
ugh… it is sad. my favorite line: “it might taste good and be at the right price now, but it’s not healthy in the long run” good stuff… thnx, dan
Well THAT hits a nerve. Logo design is one of those items that i think most of us in creative services longed and hoped for while pursuing this profession. 20 years later, I still love the work. But the presenting and explaining the “value” of a logo is often challenging.
My advise is that if you choose to produce logo designs understand that you will suffer for your passion. (Boy, that sounds awful.) You can still make a living and produce great work but there is a price and what we believe a logo is worth is rarely what is paid for it.
But what about the client who does NOT want original?
Inevitably a client requests a logo “like the Nike swoosh” (everyone has heard that before) and after 5-6 rounds of deep creativity to remake the originality of that logo and not a carbon copy of it, the client is still very dissatisfied and now very frustrated because they really want that — or at least a very similar — swoosh!